Jesus taught that the “pure in heart shall see God.” This is an obvious idea in that nothing that is impure can/could be in the presence of God. But I think where we must quickly take this thought is to not assume that ‘seeing’ is future any more than it is ‘present.’ If we cannot see God now… can/could we see him later?

Jesus also said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” Sören Kierkegaard wrote of this beatitude, “Purity of heart is to will one thing.” If my will is to ‘see’ the Father then it seems apparent that I must will one thing: to see God now. Then the future seeing will take care of itself. Or, to wait to see God later will be to not see God at all.

“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Jesus